Why and How to Migrate to Germany

Berlin. Image Courtesy Thomas Wolf,

There are many ways to migrate to Germany
Immigrants can come to Germany to work, study, be entrepreneurs or reunite with their family.
12% of the German population is made up of immigrants
Naturalization is possible after living in Germany legally for at least 8 years

Some people come to Germany merely to see the beauty of this country while others come here to settle down. If you’re thinking of migrating to Germany, here are a few things you should know.

When it comes to migrating to another country, Germany is one of the most popular destinations in the world. In 2017, migrants accounted for 12% of the total German population. This amounts to about 10 million people. While some countries keep migrants out, Germany has been promoting itself as an ‘immigration country’ to address its low birth rate.

Read: How To Get Germany Dependent Visa

Berlin. Image Courtesy Thomas Wolf,

For people who want to migrate to Germany, this country offers a strong economy, good education system, employment opportunities and a comfortable lifestyle – all the things you could ask for when choosing a country to live in.

Why Migrate to Germany?

Immigration Trends in Germany for the last ten years:

Years	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016
Number of Immigrants	6,728,000	6,695,000	6,754,000	6,931,000	7,214,000	7,634,000	8,153,000	9,108,000	10,039,000

Top Ten Immigrant Countries in 2016:

SL NO	Rank	Country	Percentage of total German Population
1	1	Turkey	14.9
2	2	Poland	7.8
3	3	Syria	6.4
4	4	Italy	6.1
5	5	Romania	5.3
6	6	Greece	3.5
7	7	Croatia	3.3
8	8	Bulgaria	2.6
9	9	Afghanistan	2.5
10	10	Russia	2.4

People migrate to Germany for many reasons. Better job opportunities are the most common reason. Germany has a shortage of qualified people and skilled workers. Thus, engineers, medical workers, IT professionals etc. can easily find jobs in Germany. Germany also promotes entrepreneurship and hence is a great place for investor and entrepreneurial migrants who want to set up their own businesses.

Education is another common reason people migrate to Germany. Not only does Germany have some of the top schools in the world, it also offers free education for its citizens. This holds true for government-aided schools. Private schools and universities may charge a tuition fee but financial aid is easily available. Most students, who migrate to Germany to study, pick up a job here after completing their degree and stay on.

Migrating to Germany –Diffrent Ways And The Process

Just as there are a number of reasons why people migrate to Germany, there are a number of different ways to go about it. The process of migrating depends largely on the reason why the person has chosen to move to Germany.

1. Migrating for Work

One cannot move to Germany and then look for a job. To migrate to Germany as a skilled worker, you must first find a job in Germany that accepts migrants. You can then apply for a German working visa. For this you will require:

Two copies of the completed application forms
Two color, passport photographs
Valid passport
Letter of intent from the German employer or employment contract
Proof of residence in the area where you plan on staying
Travel insurance

A visa fee of EUR 60 is payable when applying for this visa. Non-EU citizens will also need to apply for a work permit once they reach Germany. Depending on the type of job they have been employed in they may choose between general employment work permits, specialist professional work permits and self-employed work permits.

2. Migrating as an Entrepreneur

To migrate to Germany as an entrepreneur, the applicant must have a business idea that meets the needs of Germany and has a beneficial impact on its economy. The applicants must also have written confirmation of being fully covered by a bank loan or their own capital. The minimum investment required for a migrant entrepreneur is EUR 1 million. The business must also employ at least 10 German nationals. Entrepreneurs can apply for a German working visa and a self-employed work permit.

3. Migrating to Study

A German student visa is required to pursue higher education in Germany. This visa is typically issued for a period of 3 months. In most cases, students who migrate to Germany must apply for a residence permit on reaching Germany if the course duration is more than three months. On completing the course the person may stay in Germany for a fixed time period during which he or she may seek a job in Germany.

To apply for a German student visa the applicant must submit:

Two copies of the completed visa application form
Two recently taken passport photographs
Valid passport
Admission letter from the University or correspondence from University proving the probability of admission.
Certificates of all levels of education earlier completed
Proof of means of subsistence
Health Insurance

A visa fee of EUR 60 is payable when applying for this visa.

4. Migrating to Reunite with Family

In many instances, only one member of a family may initially migrate to Germany. Under the current German visa laws, a German resident’s spouse and children under the age of 16 years may apply for immigration to join their family in Germany. To be eligible for this visa the applicant must prove that he or she is married to a person currently living in Germany or born to parents living in Germany.

Children under the age of 16 years do not need to be able to speak German but children above the age of 16 years must be proficient in German. A spouse wanting to migrate to Germany to be with the rest of their family must have at least A1 grade proficiency in German. Visas for spouses are bound by the same conditions. This means that if one spouse has a visa that allows him or her to work in Germany, the same will apply to their partner as well.

5. Naturalization

Any immigrant who has lived in Germany legally for a minimum of 8 years can apply for German citizenship as long as they meet a few other prerequisites as well. This includes:

The person must not be living on welfare as their main income source unless he or she is unable to work.
The person must be able to speak at least B1 standard German.
The person must pass a citizenship exam unless exempted because of old age, an illness or a disability.
The person must not have been convicted of a criminal offence.
The person must swear an oath of loyalty to the German constitution.
The person must renounce all former citizenships unless:
- He or she is a citizen of an EU country
- He or she is a citizen of the Swiss Confederation
- He or she is a refugee and has a 1951 convention travel document
- He or she belongs to a country where renounce citizenship is extremely difficult
- He or she has familial ties with the earlier citizenship
- He or she cannot renounce earlier citizenship because of political or economic reasons
- Renouncing earlier citizenships will cause financial harm

The spouse of a German citizen or same-sex partner of a German citizen may be naturalized after two years of marriage and three years of staying in Germany.

Children born in Germany after 1990 automatically get German citizenship along with the citizenship of their parents.